Toy ball



- which roll on Patented Sept.` Y1,3,

.L1 or narran, 0.111,04;

POLY BALL@ App'ncatibn filed January 21,1921. serial No. 43858.75.

y This linventionfrelates `to devices of the classV adaptedfto revolve -orroll under their own power. and more r`My invention use as a{toy,` and ventionf` to provide -a particularly that type lfloors or other'surfacesl. is peculiarly adapted. for iti is an objectl of this` in- .t-oy Iball having `'in its `interior a spring `vniotor which will cause the ball'to roll along y assistance rvfromv Further obj the Hoor without any skilled in the art from .the rfollowing descriptioneference being hadA to the accompanying drawings,

wherein aV preferred emn bodirnent ofthe inventionis clearly shownv spring motor 20 andy wherein: A

Figfl is agvertical section of the invention on" line 1-1-of"F1g.2;

` Fig., 21sr an thelinef2-2 oflfig.v being sl'iown in4 elev illustrate the relation Fig. 3 shows in Aper ofconstruction; and 1 Figs. 1k and 5^are irregular vertical section on 1, certain 4of the parts ation to inorej clearly of thefpartsg spective certain details y diagrams illustratingV the operation ofthe"invention.l

'Referring to the drawing-s,

sistS a-llollow ineniber or casinglO, and a pivotally suspended freni the center thereof. -The'casingconsists-of -two sections L11'and 12 fitted together 'the' "in any other preferred hollow casing of any ele"- rnannershown v or sired shape. Rigidly of the casing 10,` and secured to the interior 1n alignment with one ranother arefhollow supporting studs 18 and gnedboresr 15 constituting lbearings for the reduced endsor'spindles v1.6

of main shaft 17.V cured to the `purpose of which -w The casing is herein [Keyed or otherwise seend ofy stud 18 is a gear 18, the

ill ybe described-*latein shown 'as sphericallin shape, andthe supporting lstuds on; a E'line passing through the centerl of the sphere,

but itfwill'be understoodthat `the casing may assume in transverse cross section any shape suitableiforrolling or tumbling, whether lit Y 10.1, tir hline' in, @Si

irregular muse;

vbe'jcircular, ovali, obltate;y o rpolygonal Vand vthatfthe longitudinal'l cross section may as- ,suineany shape which `will rfacilitate rolling St-.eds 1,16@ .Het be;

the @enligne herein 116.513.1511@ @Otorraight line or vin Vany and ,that the supporting located at the center of shown. y '2Q `has a 4traine ymade bythe rarrow in up ofside yplates. 21and 22 and studs 2,3

for rigidly'holdingthe plates in spaced .re

nientfof gear'29fwith ,gear -18 rigidly .se-

.curedto the stud 13. 'The purpose of this engagement Vvill .be llater explained. ,Re-

ferring-,to .-Figs. 1 and 3, the InainspringBB ofthe rnot-or isattached at its inner end by Y means of a pinor other'preferred .connec-I tion .to the main shaft 17 yand .at its .outer end toone offthestuds V123, as shown. Ad#

`gacentftothe .main spring 3 3' and revolvably mounted on the shaft 1"?V is agear 24 which has engagement :by means or the pawl'25 'f with .the ratchet wheel. 26 secured .to the main shaft 17. The gear 21 drives the gear train'2r, '28, and V29V-the gear 29 being in engagement lwith the gear 18 rigidly secured tothesupporting stud 13 as previously eX- plained.

rEhe 4speed fof the train is regue lated `by the escapeinentinechanisni 30 .which isdr-iven .from fgear 28 through the pinion yReferring.to Figs. 2-and 3., is will be seenv that the section 12 of thecasing isprovided VVwith any openingfin alignment with thetholy-l' 'low stu-d 14 whereby a `key 32 inayk be inserted to wind the niain spring. In the enibodiinent vof the invention -.ill.ustrated, the inain spring is Lwound by turningthe lrev to the right vas indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 andwhenthis is done ythe ratchetwheel 26-rnoveslrunder the pawl .25., the escapeinent 'mechanism 30 effectively holding the spring 'niotor against .unwindingl .in a manner to lbe hereinafter inore lfully described. After the spring is-kwound, the energyof the spring is transmitted ratchetivheel'26A whichexerts aforce ony the gear 24L yto drive it in'thefdirection indicated 'Fig'. 1. Gear 24, operating through theftrain27 Vand 28, causesfgearQS) to rotate y'in thedirection indicatedin Fig. 1. vSincethe-gear `18isjfiXed onthe stud 13.the gear f29 vrinusttrsivel aroundethe gear-18 inaJ clockwise direction, thus swinging .the Ientire spring niotor to Vtheileft about the spindlesl asa 'centenas viewedin Figsl.

through the shaft A17. tothev IGS (ill

The operation of this device will he better underetmid luf reiference to the diugrzunniutie views .ehou'n in Figs. it und 5. In elthe` hull is: uhou'n :it rest und in equilibrium on the pleno nurture lim-lil. the point et support being; iiulicuted :it l?. lllfith :i Spherical hull in stuhle equilibrium. ne Shown. the eenter ol gravity ot the hollow casing l() is :it its center. spindle lo, und the center ot uruvitj.' oi the Spring;y motor is ot course :it :i point directly underneuth, es; et lil. Since the u'eigrht ot the hull is runde up et the Weights of the hollow cursing); l() und the motor 2t), its; center oil grurity is on the line connecting` their .refsiiectire centers ot irait ity, iti :ind ll. und is' loceted between thenr :is :it G. Au is well known, the center ot grurity oit :infr object is the point :it which the entire weightot the object muy he es sinned to he concentrated. ln the present euse, the weight, el the hull will lie useuined to he concentrated :it the point (i. The dou'uu'urd preesure cruised li); the weight oi the hull is repreeented luy the henry :arrow through the center et efrairity (l. lin Fig. l it is in line with und directly opposed to the upward pressure through the point ot' nippel-t l?, which ineens` that the hull is in stelde. equilibrium und there is no tendency to roll. But when the inotor is put into operan ion. the lirst eitfect to Swine` the eenler ot gruritr out olf the line olf support O--P to u point, is tor instunec ti. shown in Fig. The hull is thereby placed ,in uustuhle cduililniuni, the upward .torce through l" und the downward torce through G constituting u couple tendinei to roll the hull in the torivnrd direction uliout the point ot' support. l :is indicated by the arrow F in Fig. llihen the center oil gravity returns to (l in the line oit support OHP, the hull is once more in stable equilibrium. lilith continued operation oi the niotor the center ot' Tg-rarity.' :renin moved to the lel't ot the line ot .fuipport (fl-, the distance ol the point (.-l :troni the line o'l support Owl" :it :inv inetunt depending' upon the resistance otl'ered to the rolling' olf the ball. Should the hull come in contact with n smell obsteele. ne Q. shown in Fie'. the spriire` motor will continue n'ioving the center of grnvity G out to the left to ai point more remote .troni the line oil support OMP until the reuietunee ot the olietucle iS overcome und the hull rolle over the obstacle. Should the center ot' grurity G more to its extreme position inout reniote troni the line ONP, und the hell still not roll. :is when it ineets n lerne i1nin iirelile obstacle or e. will. the motor will nevertheless continue to more. the center ot' grue/'ity about 1G in u clockwise direction to :i point (i2 on the line et Support: OMP. The hull is now in unstable efuiilibriiuiu und any further movement of the lnotor will. carry the center of gravity tlg to the right ot O-lf und enlise the hull to roll :muy from the well in :i lizickwznfd. direction ne indicated hy :irrow li in Fin; 5, the niotor :ill the while continuingl to opernte in the nmnner :ilreudy explained. litter the center oli' grrzivity returue to the point Gr the bell wil'. oi course. intein continue its toru'urd niorenient in the direction l? indiented in Fie'. li, though us the hell frills over it will probably turn es it izills; und continue its; 'lfm-wurd niovenient in u direction dill'erent trom the direction it pursued betere it canne in contact with the well. Ait will lie understood thet the hull doen not d ipend entirely on the operation :le uliovc oulliued tor its ziliilitiv to overcome obstacles, hut, that: itJ will lgiegreutly :insisted by itis own inertin oit motion :in it rolle toiwerd- .fifi already stated. the eecnpen'icnt o0. in :idditlion to iti; nornuil und customary itunction oli' reiuilut'nogv the specifi ot the motor in unwinding, :deo Herren :ui :i lock to hold the motor iuguiiulit operution while it in being `utmnd hy the lier S32. .lliie doulile 'Function rendered por... ile, in the torni olf the iurcntion herein illustrated, hy interposingl un idler geur QS) in the {eur trein. lle'lerring to Fie l. it will he oliserved that; :in the winding; shaft, LT und the ratchet wheel 26 :irc turned in u counteieelocltwiee direction in winding :ind the .SpringT :l2-l ie placed under tension, such Springteneion in'unediutely manifeste .its-ell? :it the outer en d oit the spring by :i tendency to rotate the side platee' und niotor nieehnnieln in n coun ter-clockwise direction about the reduced ends lt ol: the :ihn tt li". llowtw'er. any .euch roi'iution would ennui n rotation of the genre 25) sind 28 in zi direction reirme to the urrowe hutI this .is prevented by the escupenient BO :is Will lie readily underntood by thoue skilled in the nrt.

rlhe construction defierilied luis the peculiar advantage tluit the entire winding operation muy lie perlornuul by Simply oecil` latine` the Winding,` key liuchr :1nd 'torth without ehenginp' the trip ot' the hunde on either the hull or the Windingl key. During the ilorunrd or windingl inotion of the Winding key 3:2l the inotor in held :n.uiiusit rotation in the hull, :in already des'erilied. :ind the ratchet E2G niores under the peu'l 25 in e. counterelocltirhse direction ne viewell in Fig'. l. (in the bueluvzird motion oil the winding' key 32. the niotor unwiude within the hull. the motor tren .i und the pnwl und retehet, with the windingi key fittizie-lied.` moving' in e clockwise direction (Fien. l. :ind 5), und the hull or casing il@ moving in :i counter-clocltwise direction. During' the liurlmnrd. motion oli the Winding ltey, the inotor ot course gives up Sonie ot its tenuion but this is :i small traction ol. the tension or energy which was given to it on the ]neceding :toi-werd motion ot the Winding key, the net result, being lit) lll)

that with each back andvforth oscillation of` the key the springtension is increased and `the Vspring motor isl wound up more quickly vand conveniently than if a new grip had to e li be taken. after each forward motion ofthe winding key.

My invention isrherein shown and'Y de-V scribed as lapplied to a ball supported at a point P, andk its, operation explained with reference to the vertical line passing through the point of` support which has been termed the line of support O-l?.y It will be under` stood that with a rollingor tumbling kcasing of different ,transverse cross sectional form Y 4than that shown or'of different longitudinal Vcross section, the support may be aline iny stead of a point, or even a surface.. n case the support is a surface, it will vbe understood, of course, that the 'ball lwill not be in unstable equilibriumy unless itsl center i of gravity falls loutside of the supporting area. With respect to motion of the ball, as described with reference to Eig.` 5, the so-called line of support beyoiidwhiclnthe center of gravity'musty pass before the ball is in unstable equilibrium, must be considered to be -the vertical line passing*throughy the edge of the supporting area most advanced-in the direction of travel, and where the term line of. support is employed in the claims itis' f intended to have this interpretation.

o While I have shown one preferredenibodiment of oneform ofV my invention, it

Ywill be understood that various changes vand nection for holding theinotor against ro-,pv tation about vits axis ,during application of the winding force. c n

2. A motor propelled toy comprising a supporting means, an overturnable motor pivotally mounted on the supporting means and having a driving connection therewith, and means including a winding shaft coaxial with'the pivotal axis of said motor'for winding the motor, said motor including an idler geark in said driving connection and an escapement kmechanism associated with signature.

theidriving Vconnection for holding the motor against rotation relative to its axis during application ofthe winding force.

d SA motor propelled toy comprising a support, an overturnable motor pivotally mounted on the support, a drivingconnectionr from the motor to the support adjacent.

the v"pivotal axis of the motor, and means including a winding shaft coaxial with the pivotal axis Yof the motor for winding the -niotonsaid driving connection including a geartrain of an uneven number vof driving andv driven surfaces carried by' the motor and the support, and vmeans associated with the gear train for preventing movement of the gears in one direction whereby to hold the motor against rotation about its axis during application ofthe winding force.r

l4. A motor propelled toy comprising, a supporting lmember adapted to roll on a supporting surface, an overturnable spring motor rotatably mounted on said support ing memberand having a driving connection therewith tending to cause rollingkof said supporting member, and means including a winding shaft coaxial with the axis` of rotation of thespring motor for winding the spring motor, said spring motory carrying means for holding the motor against unwin'diiig during application of the winding force.

5..,A motor propelled toy comprising aA supporting means, an overturnable spring motor rotatably'mounted on the supporting means fand having a driving connection therewith, means for ywinding said motor,

and means permanently associated with the motor and operable automatically upon winding of the motor kfor holding the motor against rotation about its axis during application kof the winding force.

6. AY motor Vpropelled toy, comprising a support, an overturnable motor having a lmotor frame, a main shaft coaxialy with the Y axis of rotation of the motor, a main spring secured at one end tov said motor frame and at'its other end to said main shaft, a drivingconnection between said shaft and said support whereby rotation ofsaid shaftin a given vdirection under tension of said spring will cause rotation of the vinotorf relative tothe support, andmeans forming a unitary part of said device coacting with the motor upon rotation of said shaft in an opposite directionto .restrain movement of the frame in said opposite direction.

In testimony whereof Ihereto affix my RALPH L. Lian.l

Sil)

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